After using the G-Slate for several weeks, I found myself appreciating the tablet's more-compact, widescreen dimensions vis-à-vis the (9.7 inches) and the (10.1 inches). The sizing--9.6 by 5.9 by 0.5 inches--makes the G-Slate feel less obtrusive to use in social situations, yet it provides a satisfying amount of screen real estate. The contoured sides are comfortable to hold, but I would have preferred the G-Slate to be thinner; at this point in the tablet hardware wars, a half-inch thickness really feels like too much. Likewise, the G-Slate is heavier than I would have expected given its size: It weighs 1.37 pounds, more than Apple's 1.34-pound iPad 2 (the version with Wi-Fi and 3G).
The dimensions were especially agreeable when I held the tablet for reading; the G-Slate felt just right, screen-wise. And even though the G-Slate is heavier than the iPad 2, it felt well balanced. For now, the G-Slate is the only tablet at this size; Samsung plans to ship its this summer.
The G-Slate's core internal specs mirror those of the Motorola Xoom: It has a dual-core 1GHz Nvidia Tegra 2 processor, with 1GB of RAM and 32GB of internal memory. It also supports , as well as Wi-Fi hotspot sharing for up to five devices. Unlike the Xoom and the , however, the G-Slate lacks a memory card slot for additional storage. Adobe Flash isn't preinstalled on the G-Slate, but a Flash icon on the tablet's home screen desktop takes you directly to the Android Market entry for installing Flash Player 10.2.
The front of the tablet is all screen. I have one gripe: I don't like the fingernail-thick gap between the single piece of glass and the edges of the chassis. Beyond that, however, the G-Slate is sturdily constructed, with a backplate made of soft-to-the-touch plastic.